In 2001, the search was on for sponsors as Armando and Mimi Fitz jumped into the NASCAR Busch Series after purchasing the team from famed car-owner, Felix Sabates, thus becoming the only nationally certified minority-owned team/company in NASCAR's top-3 elite series.
Now in their eighth season, the Fitzes have built one of the division's top racing teams with the assistance of a top-brand sponsor, Supercuts.
Supercuts signed on in December 2001 as the inaugural primary sponsor and the highly visible purple car will be seen repeatedly in 2008 as it zooms into some of America's fastest NASCAR tracks once again!
2002 was the first full year of racing in the Busch Series for the Fitz family racing operation as two more top brand companies, Hot Tamales and Jani-King joined Supercuts. This trio of powerhouse sponsors carried the #12 car through the 2003 season and a second car, the #14, was added for ten races with the sponsorship of the U.S. Navy. With momentum on their side as the season wound down, the #12 team found themselves squarely into the top-20 in team owner points. The #14 car also had a great year considering its limited schedule. They wrapped up the season as having the best showing among teams with 12 starts or less.
2004 proved to be even more successful as Supercuts, Hot Tamales, Jani-King and the U.S. Navy returned as sponsors. The operation continued to expand by adding an additional sponsor to the mix, Goulds Pumps, who joined Jani-King to run a 10-race schedule.
Fitz further strengthened his team's ties to its roots in 2004 as he announced an alliance with Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, which allowed for full technical and engineering support, both critical elements for any top-tier racing operation. The team switched car manufacturers, moving from the Chevrolet Monte Carlo to the new Dodge Charger, in the process becoming the only NASCAR Busch Series team fully supported by the manufacturer.
As the new season began in 2005, more and more exciting news came out of the Fitz race shop with the announcement they would field a 3rd car sponsored by Cottman Transmissions, Jani-King and Goulds Pumps.
With so many thrilling changes taking place in 2005, an added bonus was the addition of driver Carlos Contreras. Contreras is the first Mexican-born driver to compete in a NASCAR national series and came aboard to drive six races for the Fitz team. Contreras returned in 2006 and ran the #12 and #14 cars on a limited basis, with his best finish, 11th place, in his homeland at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriquez in Mexico City.
2005 also saw the addition of the Family Dollar sponsorship support to Fitz Motorsports with their name affixed to two races. In 2006 their sponsor involvement grew to ten events. 2007 was even more impressive as the familiar red and black colors of the Family Dollar Dodge took to the track for no less than 12 races nationwide and held a primary position on the stock car alongside longtime supporter, Supercuts. The Family Dollar logo also adorned the car for the remaining Busch races when Supercuts is the primary sponsor, as well as the Nextel Cup race in Sonoma, CA.
In 2006, Olympia Steel Buildings gave the team a boost as they signed on as primary sponsor for the #12 car entered in the May race in Richmond. Blue Green Resorts also inked a deal as primary sponsor for ten races split between the #12 and #14 cars. Both sponsors were excited and eager to give their full support to the young driver, Joel Kauffman.
The Fitz racing operation is not only a force to be reckoned with in the NASCAR Busch Series, but also in the Busch East Series. In 2006, Mexico's Ruben Pardo stepped on the gas in the Family Dollar-sponsored Dodge and ended up earning the Busch East Series Rookie-of-the-Year title after winning one race, garnering one top-five finish and six top-ten finishes. The accolades did not end there. Pardo was named Hispanic Athlete-of-the-Year as well as being honored as the Outstanding Motor Sport Driver-of-the-Year at the Premios Fox Sports presented by DHL.
To add to the enthusiastic build-up for the 2007 season, Fitz Motorsports made changes in many phases of the innovative company, including a new name and new car numbers. The #12 Supercuts/Family Dollar Dodge became the #22, after Fitz acquired the number from ppc Racing. The #14 car now carries the #44 on the side as well. Fitz's newly-numbered #22 machine was driven on a part-time basis by NASCAR NEXTEL Cup sensation, David Stremme. Additional drivers including road course sensation and ESPN commentator Carlos Contreras, Patrick Carpentier, Robby Gordon, and Mike Bliss– carried the team through the remainder of the 2007 season.
As if the 2007 season wasn't already chocked full of highly anticipated changes, Fitz Motorsports hit the track in Daytona in January to announce a new marketing and technical partnership with Grand Am Koni Challenge team, Hyper Sport. They joined together their marketing programs to provide a multi-faceted brand marketing entity for Supercuts, both in NASCAR and Grand Am arenas. Supercuts ventures into the Grand Am Series as co-primary sponsor for Hyper Sports Mustang GTs #54 and #55.
The 2007 season started with a setback when the No.22 Dodge failed to qualify for the Orbitz 300 in Daytona. But they say what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger, and no better team to prove that than Fitz Motorsports. They went from not even making the first race of the season, to qualifying no lower than 10th for the next six races. By the end of the season, they had attained one pole position, five top-5s, and five top-10s. Those stellar finishes brought the team from 30th place in owner points, to the top-10 for nearly the entire season. Fitz also had a successful year with their NASCAR Mexico team FitzContreras Racing, with top finishes from drivers Carlos Pardo and Jorge Goeters.
With one pole, five top-five and five top-ten finishes, the team successfully finished the 2007 season 11th in owner points.
The 2008 season will be full of excitement and growth. Mike Bliss will be on board to drive the Supercuts Dodge full time in 2008, as a contender for the NASCAR Nationwide Series Championship.
Fitz Motorsports' successful 2007 season laid the groundwork for the development of a second team in 2008. The addition of one of NASCAR's most vivacious and experienced drivers, Kenny Wallace, lead to a dynamic combination with new, full time sponsor, Shark Energy Drink. Crew Chief Rick Gay will lead the No.36 Shark Energy Dodge Charger to the track for the first time at the Daytona International Speedway for the Camping World 300. It will hopefully prove to be a winning season for the new duo.
Media Kits